Provision of Feedback to Users of Communication Devices

1. A pair of communication devices capable of communication between them by means of a communication link established between the devices; a first of the devices having tag means associated with it and operable to contain at least data sufficient to identify feedback to be provided to a user; a second of the devices having a reading device associated with it and able to read feedback data from the tag means of the first device, by means of a wireless channel which does not require the communication link to be used; the second device being operable to provide feedback to a user, in accordance with feedback data read by the reading device, whereby establishment of the communication link is not required before feedback can commence.

2. A pair of devices according to claim 1 , wherein the tag means is a passive device.

3. A pair of devices according to claim 1 , wherein the tag and reading device are RFID devices.

4. A pair of devices according to claim 1 , wherein at least the second device is hand portable.

5. A pair of devices according to claim 1 , wherein both devices are hand portable.

6. A pair of devices according to claim 1 , wherein both devices have an associated tag means and an associated reader.

7. A pair of devices according to claim 1 , wherein both devices participate, in use, in the provision of feedback, when the devices are interacting.

8. A pair of devices according to claim 7 , wherein operation of the devices is coordinated, in use, to provide a predetermined sequence of feedback actions of the two devices.

9. A pair of devices according to claim 8 , wherein the devices act alternately to create the sequence.

10. A pair of devices according to claim 1 , wherein the feedback includes one or more of sound, vibration and visual feedback.

11. A pair of devices according to claim 1 , wherein the feedback data identifies an instruction or set of instructions stored at the second device, and which the second device is able to execute to provide feedback to the user.

12. A pair of devices according to claim 1 , wherein the feedback data contained in the tag means includes an instruction or set of instructions which the second device is able to execute to provide feedback to the user.

13. A pair of devices according to claim 1 , wherein the feedback identified by the feedback data preferably includes at least one of: (i) a feedback element identifiable to represent the beginning of an interaction; (ii) a feedback element identifiable to represent an interaction which is in progress; and (iii) a feedback element identifiable to represent the completion of an interaction.

14. A pair of devices according to claim 1 , wherein the feedback data is sufficient to identify feedback to be provided in conjunction with an identified corresponding task or type of task to be performed by means of the communication link.

15. A pair of devices according to claim 1 , wherein the first of the devices is user operable to set the feedback data, whereby to set the feedback identified by the feedback data.

16. A pair of communication devices, at least one of which is hand portable, the devices being capable of communication between them by means of a communication link established between the devices, a first of the devices having an RFID tag associated with it and operable to contain at least data sufficient to identify feedback to be provided to a user, a second of the devices having an RFID reading device associated with it and able to read feedback data from the RFID tag means of the first device, the second device being operable to provide feedback to a user, in accordance with feedback data read by the RFID reading device, whereby establishment of the communication link is not required before feedback can commence.

17. A communication device capable of communication by means of a communication link established with another device, the device having a reading device associated with it and able to read feedback data from tag means associated with another device, the feedback data containing at least data sufficient to identify feedback to be provided to a user, and the device being operable to provide feedback to a user, in accordance with the feedback data read by the reading device, whereby establishment of the communication link is not required before feedback can commence.

18. A communication device capable of communication with other communication devices by means of a communication link established between the devices, the device having a tag means associated with it and operable to contain at least data sufficient to identify feedback to be provided to a user, and being further operable to interact with a reader device to provide feedback data to the reader device by means of a wireless channel which does not require the communication link to be used, whereby establishment of the communication link is not required before feedback can commence.

19. A communication device capable of communication with other communication devices by means of a communication link established between the devices, the device having a tag means associated with it and operable to contain at least data sufficient to identify feedback to be provided to a user, and being further operable to interact with a reader device to provide feedback data to the reader device by means of a wireless channel which does not require the communication link to be used, and the device further having a reading device able to read feedback data from a tag means associated with another device and operable to provide feedback to a user, in accordance with feedback data read by the reading device, whereby establishment of the communication link is not required before feedback can commence.

20. A method of providing feedback to a user of a communication device capable of communication with another communication device by means of a communication link established between the devices, in which: a task is initiated, the task requiring communication by means of an established communication link; data identifying feedback to be provided to a user in relation to the task is sent from one device to the other device by means of a wireless channel that does not require a communication link to be used, and feedback is provided in response to the data being received; whereby establishment of the communication link is not required before feedback can commence.

21. A method according to claim 20 , wherein sending feedback data is initiated when the task is initiated.

22. A method according to claim 20 , wherein sending feedback data is initiated before the communication link is established.

23. A method according to claim 20 , wherein feedback data is retrieved from a passive device associated with the another communication device with which a communication link is being established.

24. A method according to claims 20 , wherein feedback data is retrieved by means of an RFID tag and reader device.

25. A method according to claim 20 , wherein both devices participate in the provision of feedback, when the devices are interacting.

26. A method according to claim 25 , wherein operation of the devices is coordinated to provide a predetermined sequence of feedback actions of the two devices.

27. A method according to claim 26 , wherein the devices act alternately to create the sequence.

28. A method according to claim 20 , wherein the feedback includes one or more of sound, vibration and visual feedback.

29. A method according to claim 20 , wherein the feedback identified by the feedback data includes at least one of: (i) a feedback element identifiable to represent the beginning of an interaction; (ii) a feedback element identifiable to represent an interaction which is in progress; and (iii) a feedback element identifiable to represent the completion of an interaction.

30. A method according to claim 20 , wherein the feedback data is sufficient to identify feedback to be provided in conjunction with an identified corresponding task or type of task to be performed by means of the communication link.